TheWashCycle

Park Service considers ways to make the GW Parkway safer

The National Park Service (NPS) and Federal Highway Administration are studying the safety at intersections on the southern section of the George Washington Memorial Parkway. The study is looking at potential ways to improve safety on the Parkway between the City of Alexandria and Mount Vernon. They had a meeting last summer where they presented current conditions and solicited input and another meeting in December where they presented alternatives they're considering. Because the Mt. Vernon Trail runs in the same corridor and in places crosses the road or the roads that connect to it, the project is of interest to cyclists. 

The parkway, they noted is not meant to be a high-speed commuter route and they'd like to slow traffic down (this is the same thing they've said about Beach Drive in Rock Creek Park, but the constituency for the status quo is powerful). They heard a lot of ideas and have begun screening them for things they can do and what they think are appropriate. Pedestrian safety and bicycle safety were #1 and #7 on the list of concerns they heard about.

Some of the candidate alternatives that will matter to cyclists are:

• A road diet (see above)
• Roundabout usage (see below)
• Intersection widening for median islands
• Reduced speed limits
• Speed tables
• Marked and enhanced crosswalks (see below)
• Manual and automatic speed enforcement as well as impaired and distracted driving enforcement
• Adding Capital Bikeshare stations
• Better intersection lighting
• Education campaign
• Upgrading signs to current standards

The public comment period ended last month, but they'll review the comments they've received and perform some more study and design before issuing a final report. They'll then make some final selections and seek funding. 

Arboretum Bridge and Trail is still on track for 2022

The Arboretum Bridge comment period has concluded and late last month DDOT issued a report on the comments. 

The bridge, built across the Anacostia between the Arboretum and Kenilworth Gardens has been part of the Anacostia Riverwalk Trail plan for ~20 years and is finally close to becoming a reality. Last May DDOT held a meeting in the midst to complaints from the boating community about the negative impacts they thought the bridge would have on their use of the river. Another meeting is planned for this spring with design to wrap this year and construction in 2021-2022. 

Most people support the bridge and there's not much new in the responses, but there are a few answers. 

What provisions will be made for access to the trail network on the west side of the Arboretum. The trail on the west side of the river is gated at the arboretum, which closes at 5 PM daily. Does this mean that access will be restricted when the arboretum is closed?

Yes, for now. As with many similar projects, the ART is being developed segmentally. For example, the trail terminated at Benning Road for several years while the next segment went through the requisite planning and development phases, and finally construction. On the east side of the river, the bridge will provide direct connection to Phase I of the existing ART, and in the future will also provide a connection to the Phase II realignment of the ART. On the west side of the river, connecting the trail through the Arboretum is another segment in the moveDC plan. Funding is available to develop this segment and it is currently in the planning stage. DDOT has met with NPS, the National Arboretum, Federal City Council, and others to develop this segment which shall connect the trail to Maryland Avenue NE and allow access regardless of the Arboretum’s hours.

The NPS recreational land on the immediate west bank of the Anacostia at the proposed bridge location will be accessible during regular park operating times. The project includes an additional 1,000 feet of paved trail construction on the western bank of the river and will connect with an existing gravel service road that connects the National Arboretum and NPS property. It should be noted that the park and all trails within it are currently closed after dark.

Further, the National Arboretum is a research institution managed by the US Department of Agriculture and is not a park, although it welcomes visitors during open hours much like a park. As such, any decision to extend the operating hours would be taken by the Arboretum.

Another DDOT project currently being examined, the New York Avenue NE Streetscape and Trail Concept, will improve pedestrian facilities, bicycle accommodations, and safety  along New York Avenue NE between Florida Avenue NE and Bladensburg Road NE, connecting with the Metropolitan Branch Trail at NoMa-Gallaudet Metro Station and the Arboretum.

Additionally, the Lincoln Connector Trail project is in the planning stage. This will provide a trail from Bladensburg Road NE, through the Fort Lincoln neighbourhood, and cross the Anacostia River to connect with the ART in the vicinity of the New York Avenue NE/US-50 bridge. Final feasibility study documents are due winter 2019/2020.

They address the concerns of boaters about build-up at the piers, the location choice, clearance and why a single span wasn't selected. They also respond to concerns about the environment and high-bicycle traffic rates in the Mayfair or Paradise neighborhoods. "We expect an increase as bicyclists and pedestrians use the new trail segment; however, the arboretum closes at 5 PM daily, so commuter volume after 5 PM should be what it is currently."

Vision Zero, how Oslo made progress

Oslo and Washington, DC are roughly the same size. In 2019, the former had zero pedestrian and bicyclist deaths and DC had 14. So what did Oslo do that made the difference?

One thing is that they started with a head start. In 1975 Oslo had 41 traffic deaths and DC had 74. But that doesn't entirely account for them getting to 1 and DC to 27 in 35 years. 

Over the last five years, the city has taken dramatic steps to reduce vehicular traffic in its downtown, including replacing nearly all on-street parking with bike lanes and sidewalks. Major streets have been closed to cars, and congestion pricing raised the fee to drive into the city center, with the goal of making most of downtown car-free by 2019.

Oslo has not only reduced the number of places where it is possible to drive, the city has also lowered the speed limit, which significantly contributes to a reduction in deaths

One effort cited by Steen that may have contributed to the drop in child deaths are the new “heart zones” drawn around Oslo’s schools, where officials are making physical changes to streets to protect students walking and biking to school, including closing streets to cars during school hours.

So there's nothing magical about it. Having fewer drivers, going slower while creating more space for cyclists and pedestrians is what it takes. I don't think anyone is surprised by that. Which leads one to ask? If we already know how to get to zero deaths, why haven't we done it?

But there is hope for DC still.

Progress was also uneven for Oslo in the early years after setting its own Vision Zero goal. But it’s Oslo’s car-free zones that have made the difference, Steen told Aftenposten, because overall roadway deaths haven’t reduced across Norway in recent years the way Oslo’s have plummeted.

BTW, Helsinki also had zero pedestrian and cyclist deaths last year. 

The improvement in traffic safety is the sum of several factors. Traffic safety has improved due to betterments to the street environment, increasing traffic control, the development of vehicle safety measures and technology, and the development of rescue services. Reducing speed limits has also been a key factor

Helsinki decided to lower speed limits in 2018, and the new limits took force last year. Currently, the speed limit on streets in residential areas and the city centre is primarily 30 km/h. The speed limit on main streets is 50 km/h in suburban areas and 40 km/h in the inner city.

The City will start installing 70 new traffic control cameras and making alterations aimed at improving the safety of pedestrian crossings in the most dangerous locations this year.